News Release

19th March 2003

STATEMENT ON IRAQ FOLLOWING LAST NIGHT'S COMMONS VOTE

Following last night's vote in the House of Commons, Michael Fabricant says:

"Parliament has now authorised the use through "all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction". Those of us who supported the Government, did so with a very heavy heart. It is dreadful that it has had to come to this.

"In reaching the difficult decision I had to make as to whether I should support the Government, I took into account that it was Saddam Hussein who expelled the UN weapons inspectors and it was only through the recent threat of force that they were re-admitted into Iraq. But since then, the Iraqi authorities have failed to co-operate with the UN inspectors and, despite all the evidence to the contrary, denied that they had any weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors have found it hopeless trying to search an area 4 times the size of Britain for production areas which are probably underground and disguised. On March 7th, the UN published the inspectors most damning report indicating that Iraq still has extensive supplies of biological weapons and nerve gas and the means to deliver them. They have also been seeking means to develop nuclear weapons, but we believe they have been unsuccessful - so far.

"My thoughts are now with our forces in the Gulf and I hope and pray they all return home safely. My Parliamentary efforts now will be to concentrate on how Iraq can be helped in the immediate aftermath to the war and how a democratic regime can be established that will provide long term stability and prosperity to the poor and currently oppressed Iraqi people".